Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5

शक्तितत्त्ववर्णनम् / Exposition of the Principle of Śakti

Devanagari script

सा शक्तिस्सर्वगा सूक्ष्मा प्रबोधानंदरूपिणी । शक्तिमानुच्यते देवश्शिवश्शीतांशुभूषणः

Transliteration

sā śaktissarvagā sūkṣmā prabodhānaṃdarūpiṇī | śaktimānucyate devaśśivaśśītāṃśubhūṣaṇaḥ

Translation

彼圣力（Śakti）遍一切处而极其微妙，其体性即觉醒之安乐。主宰湿婆（Śiva）—以清凉月轮为饰—被称为“具圣力者”（Śaktimān），即圣力之持有者。

Word by Word

• सा: she/that (f.)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• शक्तिः: power, Śakti
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वगा: all-pervading
• सर्वगा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + ग (प्रातिपदिक; ग = √गम् (धातु) से निष्पन्न)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) शक्तेः

• सूक्ष्मा: subtle
• सूक्ष्मा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) शक्तेः

• प्रबोधानन्दरूपिणी: having the form of awakening and bliss
• प्रबोधानन्दरूपिणी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रबोध + आनन्द + रूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) शक्तेः; रूपिणी = ‘having the form of’

• शक्तिमान्: the possessor of Śakti
• शक्तिमान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्तिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘possessor of śakti’

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive voice)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शक्तिमान् इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोज़िशन

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; देवस्य नाम

• शीतांशुभूषणः: one whose ornament is the moon
• शीतांशुभूषणः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीतांशु + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शीतांशु = चन्द्र (moon)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: ontological pairing of Śakti (power) and Śiva (possessor) as ground of cosmic maintenance

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches the inseparable unity of Śiva and Śakti: Śakti is the subtle, all-pervading power experienced as awakened bliss, while Śiva is the conscious Lord (Pati) who possesses and governs that power—pointing to liberation through recognition of this divine reality.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

In Linga worship, the devotee reveres Śiva as the supreme conscious principle (Śaktimān) and acknowledges Śakti as His ever-present power manifesting the cosmos; thus Saguna symbols (like the Moon on Śiva) lead the mind to the subtle, all-pervading truth of Śiva-Śakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva with the awareness that His Śakti pervades all: repeat the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and contemplate prabodha-ānanda (awakened bliss) arising as the mind becomes steady in Śiva.